1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a side dump body and more particularly to a side dump body for use on a trailer or truck wherein the body is welded together in a unique fashion thereby achieving a better weldment with increased strength.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dump bodies which are employed on trailers or trucks normally are of the end dump type or the side dump type. Since the introduction of the side dump body disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214, side dump trucks and trailers have experienced wide acceptance. The side dump trailers such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214 normally comprise front and rear bulkheads with a single sheet of metal material extending between the bulkheads with the single sheet of material normally being bent or broken to form the bottom wall and at least a portion of the side walls. The edges of the walls are normally joined together with a butt weldment. It is difficult to position the edges of the sheets together to butt weld the same. Further, the butt weld may not be as strong as desired.
A side dump body is disclosed which includes an elongated wheeled frame having a plurality of first supports positioned thereon adjacent one side thereof and a plurality of second supports positioned thereon adjacent the other side thereof. An elongated body is pivotally movably mounted on the wheeled frame and is movable between non-dumping and dumping positions. The body may be comprised of rear, intermediate and front bulkheads or just rear and front bulkheads. Metal sheet members are bent to form a bottom wall and opposite side walls which extend upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall. The bottom wall may be V-shaped, straight or curved. Regardless of whether the bottom wall is V-shaped, straight or curved, the same is formed by overlapping a pair of sheet members at the middle of the bottom wall and welding the same together. The sides of the sheet members, outwardly of the weldment, are bent upwardly to form at least a lower portion of the side walls of the body. The bottom wall may be formed from a single sheet with the sides thereof extending upwardly and outwardly and which are joined to upper side wall portions in an overlapped manner and welded thereto. The overlapping side walls may be used regardless of whether the bottom wall is formed from a single sheet or a pair of overlapped sheets.
Although the dump body of this invention is ideally suited for use as a side dump body, the body construction will work equally as well on an end dump body.
A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved method of constructing the body thereof.
A further object of the invention is to provide a side dump body for use on a trailer or truck wherein the body is welded together in a unique fashion, thereby achieving a better weldment with increased strength.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a side dump body for use on a trailer or truck wherein the bottom wall is formed from a pair of overlapped sheet members with the sheet members being welded together in the overlapped areas.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a side dump body for use on a trailer or truck wherein the side walls of the side dump body may be formed from a pair of sheet members which are overlapped and welded together.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.